2 year rule Australian old age pension.

[sammycic]

Hi I will applying for the OAP in October this year and I was just inquiring if anybody has recently "beaten" the 2 year rule. Cheers

[heybuz]

apparently no,would be interrested

[sammycic]

I couldn't afford to go back for two years. What I was asking if anybody has applied and Centrelink has said O.K you satisfy permanent rule after long absentees from AUS.

[heybuz]

https://nationalseniors.com.au/sites/default/files/1409-NationalSeniorsAustralia-FactSheet-AgePensionPortability.pdf hope this helps

[sammycic]

Don't look good getting the pension, as I am better off staying put in the LOS.

[louse1953]

Mates,i am in Oz now and have been checking the rules for 4v years time.If you go back after your age is due,you do the 2 years.If you go back a few times,for a reasonable amount of time in the preceding 2 years to establish some link with Australia you "should be fine."It is helpful if you have a house,or some sort of perminate address,bank accounts etc and relatives.The financial officer is the man to talk to,hung on the phone for an hour at Centrelink.

[bdenner]

We have a guy up here who has just served his 2 year "pennants", he did come back a few times in that period but the time spent here was added to "sentence". No way out of it. --- TTF I'm self funded!

[sammycic]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

[mickjn]

I know 2 that have returned to Australia to qualify.They were told only way to get the OAP was to return.I know one was put on the DSP,do not know about the other one.It is definitely being harder to get not easier

[mickjn]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

Good luck,but I do not like your chances if you do not do your 2 years

[mickjn]

Mates,i am in Oz now and have been checking the rules for 4v years time.If you go back after your age is due,you do the 2 years.If you go back a few times,for a reasonable amount of time in the preceding 2 years to establish some link with Australia you "should be fine."It is helpful if you have a house,or some sort of perminate address,bank accounts etc and relatives.The financial officer is the man to talk to,hung on the phone for an hour at Centrelink.

Do you know what a reasonable amount of time is???Do you know what the qualifying ago will be in 4 years for the OAP.I am pretty sure it will be 67 not 65.Things are getting tough

Edited May 2, 2015 by mickjn

[simple1]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

You can only apply for Aged Pension within Australia and meet the residency criteria. Last year I applied upon return from Thailand & was approved. You do not need to have property in Oz, just a rental agreement, bank account, driving license etc. You have to complete a form to list your assets, they do ask about overseas assets, I'm sure you know what to do about Thai related asset questions. Prior to approval you undergo a phone Q&A, not required to physically attend a Centrelink office. BTW you cannot argue you were not a resident of Thailand due to having to reapply every year for extensions.

Prior to approval for portability you must reside in Oz for minimum of two years. Remember it's now 35 years Working Life in Oz to obtain full pension for portability, but paid full pension whilst in Oz and 26 weeks after departure.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

[sammycic]

Are you back in Thailand now or are you doing the two years? It seems to me no matter what you do you cannot get past the two year rule and then if you leave after 26 weeks your pension is still reduced. Cheers

Whoops read it again you are entitled to full portability if you have the 35 years and have done the 2 years penance.

Edited May 12, 2015 by sammycic

[Checker]

Prior to the budget this week you could live outside Australia for 26 weeks before your pension is reduced... That period has now been reduced to six weeks . . .

[heybuz]

its been happening before this budget ,another thing is dont tell them your married if your wife lives in thailand i made this mistake and they reduced my pension by 200 dollars a fortnight ,even though she doesn't work and gets no beneifit from the oz government

[mickjn]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

You can only apply for Aged Pension within Australia and meet the residency criteria. Last year I applied upon return from Thailand & was approved. You do not need to have property in Oz, just a rental agreement, bank account, driving license etc. You have to complete a form to list your assets, they do ask about overseas assets, I'm sure you know what to do about Thai related asset questions. Prior to approval you undergo a phone Q&A, not required to physically attend a Centrelink office. BTW you cannot argue you were not a resident of Thailand due to having to reapply every year for extensions.

Prior to approval for portability you must reside in Oz for minimum of two years. Remember it's now 35 years Working Life in Oz to obtain full pension for portability, but paid full pension whilst in Oz and 26 weeks after departure.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

Mine was very similar except that I was called in for an interview and if have ever been interviewed by the coppers the coppers have nothing on these guys they are ruthless.2 guys and a woman and she is worse than the 2 guys.The know everything about you they know every time you have taken or deposited in an Australian Bank,everytime time you went out of the country and when you returned.It all ended up ok .Good Luck to all

[simple1]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

You can only apply for Aged Pension within Australia and meet the residency criteria. Last year I applied upon return from Thailand & was approved. You do not need to have property in Oz, just a rental agreement, bank account, driving license etc. You have to complete a form to list your assets, they do ask about overseas assets, I'm sure you know what to do about Thai related asset questions. Prior to approval you undergo a phone Q&A, not required to physically attend a Centrelink office. BTW you cannot argue you were not a resident of Thailand due to having to reapply every year for extensions.

Prior to approval for portability you must reside in Oz for minimum of two years. Remember it's now 35 years Working Life in Oz to obtain full pension for portability, but paid full pension whilst in Oz and 26 weeks after departure.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

Mine was very similar except that I was called in for an interview and if have ever been interviewed by the coppers the coppers have nothing on these guys they are ruthless.2 guys and a woman and she is worse than the 2 guys.The know everything about you they know every time you have taken or deposited in an Australian Bank,everytime time you went out of the country and when you returned.It all ended up ok .Good Luck to all

You reminded me that for proving length of residency in Oz had to provide copy of movement records in/out of Oz from Immi and national archive records.

Edited May 16, 2015 by simple1

[Old Croc]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

You can only apply for Aged Pension within Australia and meet the residency criteria. Last year I applied upon return from Thailand & was approved. You do not need to have property in Oz, just a rental agreement, bank account, driving license etc. You have to complete a form to list your assets, they do ask about overseas assets, I'm sure you know what to do about Thai related asset questions. Prior to approval you undergo a phone Q&A, not required to physically attend a Centrelink office. BTW you cannot argue you were not a resident of Thailand due to having to reapply every year for extensions.

Prior to approval for portability you must reside in Oz for minimum of two years. Remember it's now 35 years Working Life in Oz to obtain full pension for portability, but paid full pension whilst in Oz and 26 weeks after departure.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

Mine was very similar except that I was called in for an interview and if have ever been interviewed by the coppers the coppers have nothing on these guys they are ruthless.2 guys and a woman and she is worse than the 2 guys.The know everything about you they know every time you have taken or deposited in an Australian Bank,everytime time you went out of the country and when you returned.It all ended up ok .Good Luck to all

You reminded me that for proving length of residency in Oz had to provide copy of movement records in/out of Oz from Immi and national archive records.

You've enunciated some of the reasons that helped me decide to never again have any contact with Centrelink. Under current rules I could possibly get a partial OAP if I jumped through the hoops.

Instead, after 35+ years in public service and hundreds of thousands paid in tax, I am rated lower than a migrant welfare recipient who never worked a day in his life. All because I choose to spend my retirement in a country more suited to my current situation.

[sammycic]

I will apply in October, but don't like my chances of any portability. I'm with old croc they can stick it and if I ever have to go back I will get it then.

Will post my outcome in October.

Simple 1 did you end up with full portability and did you do the two years?

[simple1]

I will apply in October, but don't like my chances of any portability. I'm with old croc they can stick it and if I ever have to go back I will get it then.

Will post my outcome in October.

Simple 1 did you end up with full portability and did you do the two years?

Still another year to go before I can claim portability. OK by me as upon return to Oz diagnosed with life threatening illness and still in recovery / treatment mode paid for by Medicare.

I will not receive fully paid Aged Pension if I return to Thailand as don't meet the benchmark of 35 year Working Life in Oz, but would still be enough to live in conjunction with a small UK pension. Thai wife owns a debt free house and other life style assets in Thailand, that helps considerably.

[sammycic]

Thanks for clearing that up as it sounded as though you had got the pension without doing the "time". I am in a good situation here and the pension would have been a nice little bonus for some extras. Hope you fully recover and thanks for the info. All the best.

[mickjn]

Looks like no pension for me. Will give it a try in October, might get lucky with a really nice Centrelink consultant.

You can only apply for Aged Pension within Australia and meet the residency criteria. Last year I applied upon return from Thailand & was approved. You do not need to have property in Oz, just a rental agreement, bank account, driving license etc. You have to complete a form to list your assets, they do ask about overseas assets, I'm sure you know what to do about Thai related asset questions. Prior to approval you undergo a phone Q&A, not required to physically attend a Centrelink office. BTW you cannot argue you were not a resident of Thailand due to having to reapply every year for extensions.

Prior to approval for portability you must reside in Oz for minimum of two years. Remember it's now 35 years Working Life in Oz to obtain full pension for portability, but paid full pension whilst in Oz and 26 weeks after departure.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

Mine was very similar except that I was called in for an interview and if have ever been interviewed by the coppers the coppers have nothing on these guys they are ruthless.2 guys and a woman and she is worse than the 2 guys.The know everything about you they know every time you have taken or deposited in an Australian Bank,everytime time you went out of the country and when you returned.It all ended up ok .Good Luck to all

You reminded me that for proving length of residency in Oz had to provide copy of movement records in/out of Oz from Immi and national archive records.You've enunciated some of the reasons that helped me decide to never again have any contact with Centrelink. Under current rules I could possibly get a partial OAP if I jumped through the hoops.

Instead, after 35+ years in public service and hundreds of thousands paid in tax, I am rated lower than a migrant welfare recipient who never worked a day in his life. All because I choose to spend my retirement in a country more suited to my current situation.

Centrelink are OK.The problem I had was a bit my own fault.I wont go into great detail here but it was about money they said I had and I said I didn't.It was supposedly cleared up about 3 times but every so often it would come up again,in the end it was sorted in my favour.The only advice I can offer is,the people that work there are just asked standard questions if you do not like when they are saying,immediately ask to speak to a supervisior.Every time I did the matter was sorted out quickly.

[shirtless]

Its a sad day when a government take away our right to retire in a another country how many viets and italians and greeks are obtaining a pension from aust while living in their native countries

[louse1953]

Mates,i am in Oz now and have been checking the rules for 4v years time.If you go back after your age is due,you do the 2 years.If you go back a few times,for a reasonable amount of time in the preceding 2 years to establish some link with Australia you "should be fine."It is helpful if you have a house,or some sort of perminate address,bank accounts etc and relatives.The financial officer is the man to talk to,hung on the phone for an hour at Centrelink.

Do you know what a reasonable amount of time is???Do you know what the qualifying ago will be in 4 years for the OAP.I am pretty sure it will be 67 not 65.Things are getting tough

I am back in Thailand now and have the following info.Reasonable amount of time is just what Financial Officer said over the phone,personally i would not trust this info and am resigned to do the 2 years.The qualifying time for me is 65 and a half and it goes up 6 months,every 6 months until reaching 67.

[DavisH]

To get the full pension I'd have to go back now and work practically 20 years until I retire. It makes no sense for me personally. Anyone in my situation better off save salary and invest. I have a small retirement fund I pay into in LoS once a year, and hopefully my portfolio in Aust. will keep growing. It could bee enough to live in LoS but not Australia. 2 years to go and live back there is a small price to pay.

[halloween]

I'm working 6 months, and making sure I am in-country more than 6 months, hoping to claim I am resident for at least 4 years before applying. Have all the necessary proof of residence - permanent address, bank a/c (40 years), licences, club memberships - plus I am working full time while there (self-employed taxi driver).

Wondering how they will look at holidays of 5+ months per year? Travelling on tourist visas. Have they the right to refuse working citizen o/s holidays?

Any comments appreciated/

[nev]

I am due the pension in 10 years time at 67, would I go back to do the two years time at 65 or go back at 67?, I was thinking 65 and work for two years.

I have 35 years so it is worth two years for me as I will get a full pension.

[nev]

I'm working 6 months, and making sure I am in-country more than 6 months, hoping to claim I am resident for at least 4 years before applying. Have all the necessary proof of residence - permanent address, bank a/c (40 years), licences, club memberships - plus I am working full time while there (self-employed taxi driver).

Wondering how they will look at holidays of 5+ months per year? Travelling on tourist visas. Have they the right to refuse working citizen o/s holidays?

Any comments appreciated/

I cannot see any reason why you cannot get the pension without the 2 years, as you are doing 6 months and declaring income and have a home addressaddress.

[heybuz]

I'm working 6 months, and making sure I am in-country more than 6 months, hoping to claim I am resident for at least 4 years before applying. Have all the necessary proof of residence - permanent address, bank a/c (40 years), licences, club memberships - plus I am working full time while there (self-employed taxi driver).

Wondering how they will look at holidays of 5+ months per year? Travelling on tourist visas. Have they the right to refuse working citizen o/s holidays?

Any comments appreciated/

when i applied for the pension they knew every time i left the country and returned even 3 years spent in the uk when i was 20,this was deducted from time spent in australia,bu t i had 50 years working history so i didn't matter.

Edited June 27, 2015 by heybuz

[AlexRRR]

What is worse is the new asset test if you sell up....and want to move over.